St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
JOSIAH QUINCY.
EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF A NOTED
COLLEGE PRESIDENT.

Recollections of a Professor Whose Rough
Ways and Bad Manners Made Him Very
Unpopular at Times, But Whose Strict
Integrity Was Never Questioned.
The president of Harvard university
for seventeen years, Josiah Quincy was
in all respects a remarkable character.
Belonging to a family of historic celeb
rity and tracing his pedigree to the days
of William the Conqueror, he was con
servative in his views of politics, and at
the same time ar-sighted and liberal
His ancestors in Massachusetts had occu-
pied prominent positions ever since the
settlement of the commonwealth, and
while not rich in the modern acceptation
of the term, had always been in easy
circumstances and classed among the
chief gentry of the land-with such
families as the Adamses and the Win
throps.
Born in 11,2, and graduated from
Harvard College in 1890, he was educated
as a lawyer, but turning his attention
more to politics, was elected to Congress,
and for eight years consecutively was a
member of the House of Representatives
from 1905 to 1873 He was always fear
| less in his views, and he violently
opposed the war of 1912. His speeches
on that issue were extremely bitter and
led to his subsequent retirement from
Congress; and while never an abolitionist
he was one of the first to note with
apprehension the increase of slave terri
tory, and to prophecy its future dangerous
power. In invective and sarcasm
when provoked Mr.. Quincy was little
inferior to John Randolph, and lie feared
no living man. After leaving Washington
he was elected to the Massachusetts
State Senate, where he remained for
seven years; was subsequently, speaker
of the State House of Representatives,
judge of the City Court of Boston,
and mayor of the city from 1923 to 1923.
During all this time, while Mr. Quincv's
strict integrity and marked ability were
recognized, his intense will and unfortu-
nate manners raised up against him a
host of enemies They regarded him as
selfish and domineering only, and refused
to recognize his sterling virtues One
monument of his mayoralty in Boston
attests his determined purpose-the i'm
mense Quincy market of solid granite.
He foresaw that if built according to his
designs it would bring in an immense
revenue to the city. The taxpayers
fought him violently, but, having the
power, he carried his point and built the
finest and costliest market in the Unitea
States The taxpayers were correspond
ingly enraged, and the succeeding munic-
ipality refused even to call it by his
name. But Mr.. Quincy was right, and
soon afterward the market began to pay
to the city more even than he predicted.
In this controversy, as in many others,
his rough ways offended multtudes
Cancellation was not in Mr. Quincy's die
tionary, and with all my respect for him,
| must say that he had the worst manners
of almost any man have ever known
In this regard he was probably only ex-
ceeded by his cousin, President John
Quincy Adams. They, however, pulled
together we'll enough, neutralizing each
other probably like the adverse poles of
an electric battery.
In 1899 Mr.. Quincy became president
of Harvard University. The finances of
the college before his accession had be-
come somewhat impaired, but under his
vigorous management rapidly improved
He was man of very uncommon business
sagacity, the more remarkable as it was
coupled with extreme forgetfulness and !
absence of mind. Many amusing anec- |
dotes of this latter trait are told of him.
A friend of mine and classmate had |
been somewhat neglectful of his studies,
and was sent for by the president to
receive what is termed "a private or
admonition, alone, as distinguished from
the more momentous public reprimand
before a meeting of the faculty. Ac-
cordingly my friend repaired to Mr..
Quincy's study, where, Immediately upon
entering, he saw an engraving of
familiar face. Hoping to disarm the ire
of Mr.. Quincy, he blandly remarked at
once before the president had time to
open fire, "Why, am delighted, sir, to
see that you have here portrait of my
friend and relative, Judge Hanson, of
Virginia"
Il don't know, sir" rejoined Mr.
Quincy, whether he is any cousin of
yours or not, but he is very intimate
and highly respected friend of mine"
II am very glad to hear it, sir" re-
turned the polite student, who then
went on talking about the Judge, and
who in short, made himself so agreeable
to Mr.. Quincy that he forgot all about
the admonition, and politely responded
when my friend shook him by the hand
and bade him good morning, never hear
ing anything more of the private"
Mr.. Quincy was lethargic, and was apt
TO go to sleep when he ought to have
been wide awake. He continually drove by
himself an old-fashioned chaise with one
1orse, and holding the reins would have
4 comfortable nap on the road to Boston.
he old horse going slap dash straight
ahead, everybody being obliged to turn out
If the way or be run into One of the
lrivers of the omnibus which then piled
lourly between Boston and Cambridge